Witchcraft
Witchcraft is a practice of magic that encompasses many different types of activities including astrology, divination, spell casting, and spirit communication. It includes the practices of many cultures, nations and religions as well as many books and writings from ancient times. Depending upon the individual, some witches practice their power by certain belief systems, such as Hoodoo, Voodoo, Wicca, or any number of other magical practices from countries and cultures all around the world. Although the majority of traditional witches are commonly portrayed as being kind and selfless humans who use their powers to maintain balance within the world; it has been proven that some witches are independent thinkers who may go against the Wiccan Rede by practicing their powers for dark and sinister deeds. In various historical, anthropological, religious and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural and magical powers. Historically, it was widely believed that witchcraft involved the use of these powers to inflict harm upon members of a community or their property. Since the mid 20th century, the term witchcraft has sometimes been used to distinguish between bad and good witchcraft, with the latter often involving healing. The concept of witchcraft as harmful is normally treated as a cultural ideology, a means of explaining human misfortune by blaming it either on a supernatural entity or a known person in the community. Types of Magic Ancestral Magic Ancestral Magic is a form of sorcery commonly used among the witches of New Orleans. Similar to Spirit Magic, this form of sorcery draws energy from the dead ancestors of a witch in a certain location and can be used however the spirits see fit. However, according to Eric, this power can only be harnessed from the location of where the witches died, meaning that should the witch abandon the area, they will be rendered powerless. Dark Magic Dark Magic is a form of sorcery that draws on malevolent powers, and may be used for negative purposes (e.g. to cause destruction or misfortune, to injure or kill, or for the profit of oneself rather than for the benefit of others). In popular usage, the term dark magic is often used to describe any form of sorcery that is used negatively. Expression Expression is an extremely dark form of magic that draws on darkness that doesn't exist on the natural plane without harming it. The details and history of expression remain unknown, however according to Grant, the forces of expression are considered so powerful that many witches discredit it as magic, for it expands beyond the limitations of both traditional and contemporary forms of witchcraft. Spirit Magic Spirit Magic draws on the power of the Spirits of Nature and dead witches, and may be used for either good or evil purposes. Unlike other forms of magic, a witch can only use Spirit Magic however the spirits see fit. If a witch abuses the magic bestowed upon them, the spirits may break the connection, preventing the witch from harnessing their power. Ayana Bennett once channeled the energy of one hundred dead witches in her attempt to eradicate horrendous litigations. Traditional Magic Traditional Magic is the most common form of witchcraft among modern witches. Traditional magic draws energy from the forces of Nature and may be used however the witch sees fit. Although traditional magic is very popular among the witchcraft community, it also very exhausting, due to the fact the witch is exerting their own energy. A witch who excessively practices traditional magic may experience symptoms of dizziness, fatigue, and minor nose bleeds. Ayana Bennett explained the limits of this power throughout the fulmination of The Old Ones Series; saying that if she pushed too hard when using traditional magic, it would push back. Sacrificial Magic Sacrificial Magic is a very powerful form of sorcery that is highly dependent upon the ritualistic sacrifices of supernatural creatures and sometimes; even animals. Similar to expression, this form of sorcery draws its energy from the power of every supernatural creature that is sacrificed. Magical Practices Kemiya Kemiya is a magical practice that was founded in Arabia that allows a witch to change the elemental foundation of an object and also allows them to imbue said creations with magic, thus creating a dark object. Kemiya is said to cross the boundary between magic and science which utilizes aspects of both. Representational Magic Representational Magic is a magical practice which using representative objects to manipulate reality. Its origins remain unknown however, they are shown to have existed when Lorena was alive. Voodoo The Voodoo is an old magical practice used by a number of witches. Its origins remain unknown but have shown to be used by witches four hundred years ago. Hoodoo The Hoodoo is a discipline that mixes occult elements of European witchcraft with American shamanism and Christian mythology. Its practitioners works a lot with herbs and potions as it is considered one of the branches of witchcraft practiced in New Orleans by witches. Necromancy Necromancy is the magic discipline that allows witches to revive the dead but also to control them, to communicate and govern the spirits or ghosts. The Kindred have been described as practitioners of necromancy as it is considered one of the branches of witchcraft practiced by one or more of one of the covens of New Orleans. Elemental Magic Earth Magic appears to be a form of elemental magic by using the specific properties of the earth element such as soil. A witch with enough magical power to channel can bring someone back to life using dirt and ash to be turned to flesh and bone. Weaknesses *'Disbelief: '''The act of denying or disbelieving in ones magical potential could cause a witch to inadvertently suppress their paranormal power. *'Fear: A distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain and etc. Whether the threat is real or imagined; the condition or feeling of being afraid could cause a witch to involuntarily block their own powers for a short time. *'''Mortality: Based off the fact that witches are still human, they share many of the same weaknesses as non-supernatural beings. *'Over-Exertion: '''The excessive use of magic could lead to disorientation, nose bleeds, unconsciousness and if taken to the extreme; death. *'Witchcraft: All magic can be undone through the use of witchcraft and with enough magical power, any spell can be broken. *'''Nature: It is said that nature will always find a balance when witchcraft is performed and spells will always have loopholes. This means that no being can be truly immortal. *'''Bound Objects: '''Spells that persist beyond the moment when they are cast require that they be bound to a person or object so that they remain active. If the object is destroyed, the spell will end. Spells and Rituals One of the defining characteristics of a witch is their ability to cast spells; a spell being the word used to signify the means employed to carry out a magical action. A spell could consist of a ritual action, a set of words, a verse or any combination of these. For reasons unknown, the majority of spells used by practitioners of spirit magic and/or traditional magic are spoken in an ancient language very similar to Latin. However, witches who practice other forms of magic have been known to use spells in different languages. Trivia *According to Marie Bennett, all magic is monitored by nature and has consequential effects. It is revealed that the spirits are in charge of taking away a witches power. *According to Ayana Bennett, almost all witches have a spiritual connection to the elements of the earth and the forces of nature. Since most witches derive their magic from nature, Ayana explained how witches can literally feel the essence of life itself. *A witch has access to an inner source of power that gives them the required amount of energy to perform a spell. *A witch can only ever channel so much power. Going beyond that limit risks the witch from disintegrating from the inside out. Category:Witches Category:Supernatural Category:Witch Covens Category:Vampire-Witch Hybrids Category:Witchcraft Category:Species Category:Tribrids